1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to printer control architectures and methods, and more particularly to a printer control architecture and method for supporting the enablement/disablement of printer panel switches by a host computer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many printers are capable of receiving inputs from two sources. One source of inputs is a host computer which supplies control information to the printer as well as data for printing. A host computer of this type may be physically close to the printer (local) or a significant distance away (remote). A second source of inputs is from switches which are generally mechanical in nature, and which are further generally located on a front panel of the printer. These switches are referred to as front panel switches, or simply, panel switches.
The switches provide control information to the printer. Such control information is typically used to control the on-line/off-line state of the printer, form feeds, line feeds and the like. These switches are typically wired into printer control circuitry in such a manner that they are always active, that is enabled.
Prior art printers having switches that select the on-line/off-line state and that command paper feed do not have a panel switch controller or the control instructions that would control such a panel switch controller. Since the panel switches are continuously operable in prior art printers, it is possible to switch from on-line to off-line, or vice versa by operating the on-line switch. Similarly, it is possible to cause a line feed or form feed operation by means of the paper feed switch once the printer has inadvertently entered the off-line state.
It can be seen how prior art printers can suffer from operation of the panel switches which are continually enabled even though problems may occur with processing in the host computer or with the form setting for printing if the on-line switch is operated and the printer is switched on-line or off-line and paper feed performed by operating the paper feed :switch while the host computer is controlling the printer.
Therefore a need exists for a printer architecture and method for providing a printer that facilitates control of enabling or disabling operation of the panel switches by a host computer.